Sorin Group Invests in MD Start

The Sorin Group, a medical device company, has made a minority investment in MD Start, of Switzerland. MD Start, a VC and medical technology incubator in Europe, is backed by Sofinnova Partners, Versant Ventures, Medtronic and Contract Medical International.

PRESS RELEASE

Sorin Group (MIL:SRN)(Reuters Code: SORN.MI), a global medical device company and a leader in the treatment of cardiovascular diseases, announced today a minority investment in MD Start, the first venture capital and industry-backed medical technology incubator in Europe.

MD Start, based in Lausanne, Switzerland, offers inventors an important opportunity to transform medical technology ideas into reality. MD Start’s mission is to provide scientists and medical doctors with the necessary financial, technical and strategic resources to identify and validate novel ideas. Sorin Group joins Sofinnova Partners, Versant Ventures, Medtronic and Contract Medical International as investors in MD Start.

“Through MD Start, Sorin Group aims to accelerate the development of revolutionary medical device technologies in Europe, confirming Sorin’s commitment to innovation as a key pillar for future growth” said André-Michel Ballester, CEO of Sorin Group.

“We are very pleased to have Sorin Group, a leading European medical device company, as a partner in our venture. We are confident that Sorin Group will add visibility to MD Start and contribute to our mission of creating new, innovative medical technology companies” said Tim Lenihan, CEO of MD Start.

About MD Start

MD Start (www.mdstart.eu) is located on the Campus of the Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, Switzerland, one of the leading technical institutes in Europe. Founded in 2009, this Venture Capital/Industry-backed medical technology incubator aims to accelerate the development of breakthrough medical devices in Europe by providing inventors a way to develop their ideas without having to leave their practice.

Sorin Group (www.sorin.com) is a global, medical device company and a leader in the treatment of cardiovascular diseases. The Company develops, manufactures, and markets medical technologies for cardiac surgery and for the treatment of cardiac rhythm disorders. With 3,700 employees worldwide, Sorin Group focuses on three major therapeutic areas: cardiopulmonary bypass (extracorporeal circulation and autotransfusion systems), cardiac rhythm management, and heart valve repair and replacement. Every year, over one million patients are treated with Sorin Group devices in more than 80 countries.